Olympic athletics: Bolt claims historic double with 200m gold (Lead)

London, Aug 10 (IANS) In a display of his sprint dominance to sports fans around the world, Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt won the gold medal in the 200 metres Thursday.

“There is no doubt who is going to come out on top, this is my favourite event and I’m looking forward to it. People always doubt the champion, but I don’t have any doubts,” Bolt had said after winning his 200 metre semi-final Wednesday night.

Twenty-four hours later, Bolt’s self-confidence was proved to be well-founded as went on to write his name in the history books as the first man ever to win 100 and 200 metre titles in successive Olympic Games, Xinhua reported.

Bolt was in front from the off, getting the sort of start he had taken in the semis and running a killer bend to put him a metre-and-a-half over his only possible rival on the night — Yohan Blake.

For a moment, it looked as if Blake would close on the maestro, but that was a chimera as Bolt found another gear and powered over the line with Blake second and Warren Weir giving Jamaica 1-2-3.

Bolt celebrated with a series of press-ups for the waiting cameraman who had gathered in hordes behind the finishing line.

The race was the second showdown of the Games between Bolt and Blake after Bolt had won gold in the 100 metres with an Olympic record of 9.63 seconds, the second fastest time in history.

Blake had beaten Bolt in the 200 metres in the Jamaican trials and was looking forward to repeat the triumph on the track in London.

“I’ve been working very hard on the 200 metres, I have to execute things well to have a chance of winning,” Blake had said Wednesday after running the fastest qualifying time of 20.05.

He went even better in the final, finishing with a season’s best of 19.44, but once again Bolt showed that he can turn on his lightning speed whenever it is needed.